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Public Act 095-0297 |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Loan | ||||
Repayment Assistance for Dentists Act. | ||||
Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to establish | ||||
a program in the Department of Public Health to increase the | ||||
total number of dentists and dental specialists practicing in | ||||
designated shortage areas in this State by providing | ||||
educational loan repayment assistance grants to dentists and | ||||
dental specialists. | ||||
Section 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context | ||||
otherwise requires: | ||||
"Dental payments" means compensation provided to dentists | ||||
and dental specialists for services rendered under Article V of | ||||
the Illinois Public Aid Code. | ||||
"Dental specialist" means a person who has received a | ||||
license as a dentist in this State and who is trained and | ||||
qualified to practice in one or more of the following | ||||
specialties of dentistry: endodontics, oral and maxillofacial | ||||
surgery, orthodontics, pedodontics, periodontics, and | ||||
prosthodontics. |
"Dentist" means a person who has received a general license | ||
pursuant to paragraph (a) of Section 11 of the Illinois Dental | ||
Practice Act, who may perform any intraoral and extraoral | ||
procedure required in the practice of dentistry, and to whom is | ||
reserved the responsibilities specified in Section 17 of the | ||
Illinois Dental Practice Act. | ||
"Department" means the Department of Public Health. | ||
"Designated shortage area" means a medically underserved | ||
area or health manpower shortage area as defined by the United | ||
States Department of Health and Human Services or as otherwise | ||
designated by the Department of Public Health. | ||
"Educational loans" means higher education student loans | ||
that a person has incurred in attending a registered | ||
professional dental education program in this State. | ||
"Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance | ||
program for dentists and dental specialists established by the | ||
Department under this Act. | ||
Section 15. Establishment of program. The Department shall | ||
establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for | ||
dentists and dental specialists who practice in designated | ||
shortage areas in this State and who accept certain dental | ||
payments as defined under this Act. The Department shall | ||
administer the program and make all necessary and proper rules | ||
not inconsistent with this Act for the program's effective | ||
implementation. The Department may use up to 5% of the |
appropriation for this program for administration and | ||
promotion of dentist and dental specialist incentive programs. | ||
Section 20. Application. Beginning July 1, 2007, the | ||
Department shall, each year, consider 4 applications for | ||
assistance under the program. The form of application and the | ||
information required to be set forth in the application shall | ||
be determined by the Department, and the Department shall | ||
require applicants to submit with their applications such | ||
supporting documents as the Department deems necessary. | ||
Section 25. Eligibility. To be eligible for assistance | ||
under the program, an applicant must meet all of the following | ||
qualifications: | ||
(1) He or she must be a citizen or permanent resident
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of the United States.
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(2) He or she must be a resident of this State. | ||
(3) He or she must be practicing full time in
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State as a dentist or dental specialist.
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(4) He or she must currently be repaying educational
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loans.
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(5) He or she must accept dental payments as defined in | ||
this Act. | ||
(6) He or she must continue full-time practice in this | ||
State in a designated shortage area for 2 years. |
Section 30. The award of grants. Under the program, for | ||
each year that a qualified applicant practices full time in | ||
this State in a designated shortage area as a dentist or dental | ||
specialist, the Department shall, subject to appropriation, | ||
award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount | ||
in educational loans that the person must repay that year. | ||
However, the total amount in grants that a person may be | ||
awarded under the program must not exceed $25,000 per year for | ||
a 4-year period. The Department shall require recipients to use | ||
the grants to pay off their educational loans. | ||
Section 35. Penalty for failure to fulfill obligation. Loan | ||
repayment recipients who fail to practice full time in a | ||
designated shortage area, as provided in this Act, shall repay | ||
the Department a sum equal to the amount received under the | ||
program, plus interest.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | ||
2007.
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